Chaotic Illusion
by Holy Spork
Summary: A mistreated Guardian Spirit goes on a crusade that threatens to engulf the world, as a whispered threat begins to spread like a virus. [Daemon Trilogy: Part II]
1. Fenris

The Divine Eating Utensil is _back_! YAY!

_Chaotic Illusion_ is a direct sequel to _Dreams of Rain_, but you do not need to have read _Dreams of Rain_ to understand what's going on here. (Just be aware that another story has taken place between the game and _Chaotic Illusion_.) In fact, it's better if you didn't read it; it was my first story and thus has the quality of a first story. The only thing I'll tell you right here is that in these stories, Kalas's Guardian Spirit is named Allyr. Just for clarification sake.

This story has spoilers for both the game and _Dreams of Rain_. You've been warned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Baten Kaitos, or the lyrics that the little kid sings at the end of the prologue. Yes, someone has the rights to that... And all of the original characters are mine, and anyone who uses them without permission will be reported. I'm serious.

Now, let's see who knows their mythology! (-hint hint-)

* * *

_Chaotic Illusion_

Prologue: Fenris

_Oh you poor thing,_

_Shunned by your own kind._

_Born deformed and condemned,_

_Doomed to a life of misfortune and violence._

_O poor mongrel dog,_

_Who dreams wolf dreams,_

_Come with me,_

_Spread your beautiful white wings,_

_Take on your true form,_

_And become who you really are._

* * *

The house was like many others in the residential area of the city. One story tall, with a red door, black singled roof, and white paint slowly peeling off the sides of the home. A small, slightly overgrown front yard and a sidewalk was all that separated the building from the street. It was about noon in the middle of summer. It was a blazing ninety-two degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to make an omelet on the concrete sidewalk.

This was what Vivian thought about as she walked up to the house, sweat rolling off her skin in fat beads. She was five foot five, with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a light-blue shirt and yellow sweat pants that hugged her legs. In all her twenty-two years of life, she never remembered a day that had ever been this hot.

She walked up to the door, and knocked once. She stood waiting patiently for the door to open. When it finally did, a short overweight woman with dark brown hair looked up at her.

"Oh, it's you Vivian," she said smiling, "I didn't expect you."

Vivian gave an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry Mrs. Mayers," she said, "For dropping in like this."

The older woman waved a hand, "Don't mention it," she said kindly "You're a friend of both my children. You'll always be welcome here."

Vivian stepped inside, and began to remover her shoes, "I wanted to ask about that," she started as she untied her right shoe, "Has Allyr come home yet?"

Mrs. Mayers lower lip quivered for a moment, "No," she said, sounding painfully close to tears, "She's still missing."

"…I'm sorry," said Vivian, finally straightening up. Allyr had been Mrs. Mayers's eldest child. She had disappeared five years ago.

Vivian knew what had happened to her, and had tried to explain it to Mrs. Mayers without success. In truth, it probably did seem ridiculous to someone who had not been dragged into Allyr's story.

Seven years ago, when Allyr had been sixteen she had gotten into a bad car accident. As a result she had fallen into a deep coma for two years. She would later try to explain to Vivian that in that time she had traveled to another world and had become sort of a guardian angel to a man named Kalas. Shortly after her return, Kalas had similarly traversed the boundaries of the worlds and came to Allyr, this time he was the Spirit, and became her Guardian. When Allyr had found a way to return to his world, and a chance to bring him back to life, she had left. She had asked Vivian to try to explain _everything_ to her family, assured Vivian that she would come back, and finally left this dimension altogether.

After five years she had not yet returned.

Vivian harbored a fear that maybe she had died, or had somehow become trapped in that other world. After a while, she stopped expecting Allyr to return home. Perhaps life had been better on the other side. Maybe 'normal' life had become too dull, and she had wanted to stay. Perhaps she stayed for her partner, Kalas.

Vivian fell away from these thoughts as she felt a gentle tugging in the back of her mind. It was as if some small part of her brain was actively trying to get her attention. "Um… Mrs. Mayers?" she started, "Do you mind if I stay a while? College has let out and I just need a place to stay." Vivian blushed, "I got kicked out of my other apartment because I forgot to pay rent."

"That's no problem," said Mrs. Mayers, "David and Barb are staying in the guestroom. So can I trust you with Allyr's old room?"

Vivian blinked, "David's here?" she asked. David was Allyr's biological father, and had remarried after he had divorced Allyr's mother. (Despite being divorced, Allyr's mother was always reffered to as 'Mrs'. It's one of those things that has always been, so there is no reason to stop doing it.) She was also surprised that Mrs. Mayers was letting Vivian into _Allyr's_ old room, which she knew for a fact that Mrs. Mayers had not gone near since her daughter's disappearance.

"Yes he's here," confirmed Mrs. Mayers, "Don't worry about him. He's mostly harmless."

Vivian walked down the narrow little hall, and let her feet bring her to her friend's old room. She looked inside to see that nothing had been altered since Allyr had vanished. There had been no dusting, or removing of any of the items on the floor. Closing the door behind her, she walked in and sat down on the dusty spring bed on the far side of the room. She looked up at the ceiling.

"…Fen?" she said aloud, apparently to no one.

"_Yes Vivian?"_ replied a deep, gentle, male voice.

"What's wrong Fen?" she asked, still looking up at the ceiling, "Is something bothering you?"

"_I felt… something strange,"_ he said, _"It's hard to explain."_ He sent her a feeling of discomfort, as if something in the air had changed. Like a small animal sensing a large predator hiding somewhere in the nearby bushes, just waiting for the right moment to strike, _"It's still hard to explain,"_ the voice continued, the tone suggesting that it was thinking hard, _"It's like something's wrong with the world. Like something important broke…"_

A thought struck Vivian, "Maybe… Maybe it's Allyr coming back!" she said, "She's found a way back, and what you're feeling is just the world tearing for the gate to form or something like that!"

The voice sighed, _"I don't know,"_ he said, sounding fatigued, _"It could be anything. That's just one very specific possibility."_

"Aw… Come on Fenris!" pleaded Vivian, "Please just show a little optimism!"

Fenris sighed again, accepting defeat, _"All right,"_ he said, _"I can take you to where the feeling's coming from. Or at least nearby the source."_

She grinned up at him, "I knew you'd cave eventually," she said cheerfully. She stood up, opened the door to the bedroom, and started to walk toward the front door, hoping no one would ask why she was leaving so soon.

"When'd you get here?" asked a voice curiously. Vivian turned to see a twenty-one year old blonde boy, giving her a hard stare with his bright blue eyes, "I thought you woulda told me when you were going to drop in," he said. His name was Takei, and he was Allyr's younger brother.

Takei was someone Vivian could confide in with this kind of topic: He too knew about Allyr and her Guardian, even if he had never been able to hear Kalas's voice. "Takei," Vivian said smiling, "I think Allyr came back!"

Takei's eyes widened in surprise, taken aback by this statement, "Are you sure?" he asked, hope building behind his eyes.

"Um… No," admitted Vivian, "Fen sensed it. And I trust his judgment." Takei nodded, he knew Vivian had a Guardian Spirit, just as Allyr had Kalas all those years ago, but had never once heard either Guardian's voice. Though he still believed in their existence, for reasons he could never quite pinpoint. It was like knowing without knowing that oxygen existed. You would never see it in a lifetime, but at the same time its presence was something you did not doubt.

"Then I'm coming," he said stubbornly, "Understand?"

Vivian nodded with a smile. She did understand. "All right," she said, "Let's get moving."

It was a ten minute walk from Takei's home to the source. Fenris guided Vivian there with gentle tugs on her mind, a feeling like a small child tugging at a sleeve to get attention. When they finally arrived, they were only half-surprised to find themselves at the entrance to the city park, the trees bent over looking forlorn. _"This is where the boundaries between the worlds are weakest,"_ said Fenris, _"And the feeling is coming from somewhere inside here_._"_

"Then let's go!" said Vivian cheerfully. Vivian followed closely by Takei walked into the park, directed by Fenris until they came to a large oak tree in the middle of the park, its green leaves covering the sky like a blanket. To the surprise of the three, there was already someone there.

A woman in her mid twenties stood at the base of the tree, staring serenely at them with bright green eyes. Her long black hair fell like an obsidian waterfall down her back. She wore an elegant black dress, black gloves that went up to her elbows, and a black lacy shawl was draped around her shoulders. She smiled at them, exposing white teeth. "Why hello there," she said with an accent that Takei and Vivian could not identify, "I have been waiting for you."

"_Be careful Vivian,"_ cautioned Fenris, _"She can't be good news."_

"Um… Who are you?" asked Takei, whom was completely deaf to Fenris's warning.

The woman kept smiling warmly at them, and said, "I am the mother of Romulus and Remus." This meant nothing to any of them. Something in the woman's eyes made it seem as if she knew their deepest darkest secrets. "Come with me," said the woman, stretching her thin arms out as if to embrace them, "There is something I want to show you."

Without warning she ran at them and grabbed Takei and Vivian by their necks as if attempting to strangle both of them at once. They were so off-guard they didn't even resist her. Fenris had only enough time to cry out Vivian's name before the whole world turned black.

* * *

Meanwhile in Azha, the refugees had returned to their homes. The Mad Wolf Unit had long since left, taking with them a little bit of the villagers' paranoia, fear, and hate of the Empire, but only a little. In the dusty roads in the village, a little boy of about seven skipped along. None of the other children would go anywhere near him, as if he had some kind of horrible disease that they all were afraid to catch. None of the adults would even look at the boy, as if he did not exist.

He had pale skin, in sharp contrast to the darker skin on the native Azhani. His hair and eyes were jet-black. He wore a faded dark green t-shirt and a pair of orange shorts. He was smiling broadly, the smile plastered to his face as if made of stone. As he skipped along the road, he sang:

"_Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf,_

_The Big Bad Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf?_

_Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?_

_Tra la la la la…_"

* * *

And there we go, starting off with a cliffhanger. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I like cliffhangers, they annoy my readers so much. There will be a lot of cliffhangers in this story, just a warning.

Please review, and I'll take good reviews, bad reviews, even flames. Yup, I'm easy to please, though I _like_ good reviews, very much...


	2. Foresight

YAY THE BREAK THINGIE WORKS AGAIN! YAY! I've really missed it...

Anyway, this chapter was a total _pain_ to write. I couldn't decide how to really start the story, and that's why it took so long to update. Sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean. And on an unrelated note, BATEN KAITOS ORIGINS HAS FINALLY BEEN RELEASED! YAY!

* * *

Chapter I: Foresight 

There was snow and ice everywhere.

It was the land of ice, and the snowy city, so this was not much of a surprise. The structures and roads were made of solid blue ice that shone like the surface of the ocean at high noon. Snow fell, like cotton balls floating gently back to the earth. Here the people walked on down the streets in layers of warm clothing to fend off the perpetual cold in which they lived.

The old man stood by the entrance to the palace of Kaffaljidhma minding his own business. He wore old, faded, gray rags that might once have been part of some very expensive clothing. They hung on his thin frame like laundry on a line. His clothes were inappropriate for the weather in Wazn, but he seemed completely unfazed by the intense cold. His hair and beard were the white of the surrounding snow. He leaned against the icy wall, ignoring the cold that penetrated his clothing as if it wasn't even there. His walking stick made of a dark gnarled branch lay on the ground by his feet, so he could easily bend over to get it. The old man called himself the 'Dust Eater', though what his real name was is impossible to determine.

He looked up at the palace with narrowed blue eyes, before looking back down at the item in his hand. It was a handsome silver pocket watch, with an intricate carving of an eagle in flight on the cover, and a breaching whale on the back. With a flick of this thumb he opened the watch. The face had only one number, the twelve right where it was supposed to be. Random blotches that made no sense at all had replaced the other numbers. The single black hand of the watch was pointing to a blotch were the number seven usually was.

The Dust Eater squinted at the face, staring intently at the smear the little hand was pointing to. As if he did not want to believe what he was seeing, he closed the watch, looked back up at the palace for a count of ten, then reopened the watch and looked again. The little hand was still pointing stubbornly at the spot where the number seven should be. The old man blinked, as if in disbelief or surprise. At the right angle, if one really squinted when looking at the little smudge that replaced the seven, and with a great stretch of the imagination, one could say that the tiny smear looked like some kind of four-legged animal…

The Dust Eater simply stared at the little clock face with the disbelief of someone who just saw fire rain down on their home.

"Oh dear…"

* * *

The combatants' breath froze into white mist as they panted for breath. They circled each other, never taking their eyes of the other, waiting for an opening. Kalas and Allyr's skin shone with sweat, though they stubbornly refused to let the other see how fatigued they were. Allyr had used a hair tie to keep her long brown hair in a ponytail, to keep it out of her eyes, and she was glaring at her opponent with intense concentration. Kalas quickly adjusted his grip on the sword hilt, hoping he was not giving Allyr an opening. But it was big enough. She lunged. 

He brought his sword up in a tight arc, their swords meeting in a loud clatter of steel on steel that sounded like thunder. Kalas twisted his sword to free himself from the parry, and slashed downward at Allyr's unprotected side. She sidestepped tried to thrust her sword into his back. He spun around, deflecting the blow with a swipe of his sword. They returned to circling each other, like a pair of animals each measuring the other up.

They leapt at each other again, trading more blows, until Allyr broke through his guard and whacked the back of his knees with the flat of her blade, making him fall. As he rolled over to stand up again, he found himself faced with the point of Allyr's sword. Kalas threw his arms up, a signal of defeat, "Okay! Okay!" he said, "You win!"

Allyr grinned and lowered her sword. There was a loud cheer from the assembled knights who lined the room to watch the sparring match. There was also an audible metallic clinking as gold changed hands. Kalas stood up, rolling his shoulders. "So," said Allyr, still grinning at him, "Best five out of nine?" There was an encouraging cheer from the knights who normally did not get this kind of break or entertainment.

"No," said Kalas, flatly, "I'm done." Addressing the knights as a whole, he added, "Find something else to bet on!"

There was a disappointed muttering. Then all of the knights slowly milled out of the training room to return to their various duties. Kalas strode over to the wall and hung his dull practice sword up on a bracket on the wall. Allyr walked up to him and hung her sword up as well. "That's the first time I've won that many in a row." She said, a smile on her face, "You're getting rusty."

"Yeah, yeah," said Kalas grumpily, fighting back a yawn.

"No one likes a sore loser!" teased Allyr.

Allyr had been living in Kaffaljidhma for the past five years. After her two years as Kalas's Guardian, she had returned to her own world. When he came to her two months later as a Spirit, Allyr knew she had to return to his world to save her friend. She had not been able to find a way back. Allyr had to start her life from scratch, and so joined the Wazn knights. After only a year they pulled her out of training to become a bodyguard for the Ice Queen and her family, which was something of a joke among the knights, as they all knew she had been Kalas's Guardian Spirit. She and Kalas had sparred like they just had almost every day over the past five years. At first he just came down to help her train a little more. But as she got better, their sparring matches became fiercer and longer. Eventually it became a daily event for the knights. Even some of the more senior knights would stop by to watch, and maybe even join in betting on which of the contestants would win that day's rounds.

"Gloat all you want," said Kalas, rolling his eyes, "I'll get even with you tomorrow."

"Oh no, the last time you said that you jabbed me in the stomach." Said Allyr with the dread of someone expecting the Apocalypse to come the next day.

"Hey! Allyr!"

Kalas and Allyr turned to see a young knight of about twenty-two approach them, admiration and excitement making his green eyes sparkle. "That was amazing Allyr!" said the young knight, "That weird twisty block you did in the second round! Could you show me how to do that?"

"Of course!" said Allyr, grinning at the knight, "You know I like to show off Rowan."

The knight, Rowan, was short, only about five four, and was seemingly always energetic. He had mousy brown hair and bright green eyes, and was wearing a uniform that was about a size too big for him. Rowan and Allyr had met when Allyr had first joined the knights. They had really gotten to know each other then they discovered that neither knew anything about swordplay. They had been tight friends ever since. Allyr turned to Kalas, "You can go back up to the palace if you want," said Allyr, "I'll stay here for a while longer. Think you can not sustain any critical injuries for an hour or so?"

"Yeah, yeah," said Kalas, "I'll be fine,"

Allyr nodded and took her practice sword off the wall and lead Rowan off to the space where she and Kalas had just sparred to show him the block. Kalas walked out, he didn't feel much like staying anyway. Automatically he walked back to the palace as his thoughts aimlessly drifted like sheep that had strayed from the shepherd. He was feeling tired, so maybe getting some extra sleep in would be a nice idea…

He came back to reality when he walked onto the bottom landing of the Great Staircase in the palace, only to meet a small group of Imperials who appeared to be waiting for something. Two were in military uniform, the other with his fancy and glittery outfit with gold thread every place imaginable appeared to be the one with the reason for coming.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" asked Kalas brusquely. Even after Lyude had become Emperor of Alfard, Kalas still lacked trust and patience with the Imperials, and his fatigue only compounded the problem.

The Imperial in the fancy uniform bowed his head to Kalas. This only managed to irritate him more, though it seemed that the man was just trying to be polite. "I am a herald from his Magnificence, Emperor Lyude," said the Glittery One, "And I have a message for the Ice Queen and her husband."

"What is it?" asked Kalas bluntly.

"A woman who introduced herself as Barnette has gone to bring her Majesty here," said the herald, "I wish to speak to both of you."

_Whatever happened to other people obeying the Ice Queen?_ Thought Kalas. As if by magic, Xelha closely followed by Barnette came down the stairs. Xelha looked as if she had been in the middle of something and had just been pulled away. She did not seem bothered by the herald asking her to come to him.

"Hello," said Xelha warmly to the herald, "I'm the Ice Queen. You have a message for me?"

The herald showed respect by bowing his head to her again, "I have a personal message from Emperor Lyude himself," said the herald, "His Magnificence is to be married in a week, and requests your presence at the ceremony."

"Lyude's getting married?" said Kalas thickly, "Where'd this come from?"

"Who's he marrying, if you don't mind my asking?" asked Xelha politely.

"A woman from Mintaka," said the herald, "From a prominent and very old family. Will you accept the Emperor's invitation?"

"I wouldn't dream of refusing!" said Xelha cheerfully, "This will be wonderful! And we'll get to see everyone again! Won't that be wonderful Kalas?"

Kalas shrugged, "Maybe," he said noncommittally.

"We'll leave tomorrow!" said Xelha to the herald, "You can assure Emperor Lyude that we will be there!"

The herald bowed to Xelha again, and then he and his guards walked out of the palace. "Tomorrow huh?" said Kalas, as much to the room at large as to Xelha, "Great… Just… great."

* * *

There was a middle-aged woman who walked down a road in Cursa. She was wearing many layers of clothing, just like all the other inhabitants of Cursa. She was of average height, and had a husband and two kids waiting for her back home. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about her. In fact, nothing particularly out of the ordinary would happen to this nice lady. Except that she noticed The Sacks. 

They were lying half-buried in a pile of snow by the Cursa port, where currently an Imperial vessel was sitting serenely like a gold bug. She noticed the sacks because she thought that the snow piled up on the icy port looked… odd somehow. She went over to the pile and knelt down to examine it. She brushed back some snow with a mittened hand, to reveal two large canvas sacks, tied at one end with thick rope. Worse yet, the sacks were moving slightly.

With shaking hands, she undid the rope at the end of one of the sacks and with horrified fascination, looked inside the sack at its contents.

The contents looked back.

* * *

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!" muttered the Dust Eater as he sped along the streets of Cursa like a beetle scuttling down the soft bark of a log. He barely used his walking stick as he moved along, but had no difficulty jogging without its assistance. Something bad was coming. He had to warn someone, but who? And who would believe him even if he _did_ find someone to warn? Who would even bother with what appeared to be the ramblings of a senile old man? Oh, but if he _did_ tell someone and they didn't believe him, then he'd get the world's best opportunity for the greatest 'I told you so' _ever_. 

He continued to jog down the snow-covered streets, muttering his 'oh dear's along the way. He had at least three times gone to walk right into the palace, but walked away deciding that its inhabitants would be the last people who would want to hear his warnings. Yet at the same time they were the people who needed to know the most…

"Something the matter mister?"

The Dust Eater looked down to see the speaker, a little boy with jet-black hair and eyes, dark skin, orange shorts, and a faded dark green t-shirt. "Nothing's wrong," said the Dust Eater kindly, he had always liked kids, particularly the small ones, "Don't worry your little head about it. Now why don't you go back to your parents? I'm sure they're looking all over for you."

The little kid cocked his head to one side, like a bird examining something shiny. Then his face spit into the widest grin the Dust Eater had ever seen. It seemed almost unnatural, "Are you afraid mister?" the little boy asked cheerfully.

The Dust Eater blinked, taken aback by the question. "I'm sorry," he said, politely, "What'd you say?"

"You _are_ afraid!" the little boy giggled, "You _are_ afraid!"

The Dust Eater frowned, baffled by the behavior of this little boy. Was this supposed to be some kind of joke? "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about," said the old man, "What am I supposed to be afraid of?"

The little boy giggled again, loudly this time, as he was apparently completely unable to contain himself. Then he gave the Dust Eater a friendly wave, before skipping off in a different direction. As he skipped away, the Dust Eater could clearly hear the little boy say in a singsong voice, "_Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?_"

The Dust Eater stared at the little kid until he skipped around a corner and out of sight. He stood in the middle of the snowy street, leaning slightly on his old walking stick. Long after the boy had vanished, the old man would keep staring in the direction the child had left, apparently contemplating the strange meeting.

"Oh dear…"

* * *

Night caressed the world. Stars danced in the clear skies, and the silence was soft and complete. All the inhabitants of Cursa and Kaffaljidhma were deep in the soft depths of sleep. Save one. 

Kalas had not been sleeping well recently anyway. He was awake, and standing by the balcony rails in the bedroom he shared with Xelha. He leaned on the rails, his eyes closed. He wore just his shorts and his sandals, as standing on ice was something he never got used to.

_Damn it,_ he thought glumly, rubbing an eye, _Insomnia really sucks._ He opened his eyes and looked out at the city, just to have something to stare at. _Maybe if the damn nightmares would go away for a few days…_

He stood up straight and stretched, deciding that it was very unlikely that he was going to get any more sleep that night. He looked over at Xelha, who was still lying on the bed and could be in a coma for all he could tell. _Maybe I'll go and walk around the palace or something,_ he thought hazily. He was feeling a little antsy, and maybe movement would make him tired enough to actually sleep. He quickly pulled on a shirt and walked quietly out of the room, as to not disturb Xelha.

He walked out onto the top landing of the Great Staircase that went all the way up and down the palace like a spine. Kalas walked out to the top step, barely noticing the doors that lead to the throne room and ritual room, which were also on that floor. Kalas looked down the staircase to see if anyone else was around who might ask him, hypocritically, why he was up so late…

…And almost died from pure shock.

There _was_ someone else there. Down at the next landing below Kalas, there was a boy of about thirteen who started up at him with trusting green eyes. The boy had skin so pale it was almost white. His fair hair was blonde, and held back in a large bun that was held together by some ripped up red fabric. He had a gray bandana around his neck, wore sandals, and white shirt and pants. The most unusual of the boy's features were the boy's ears, which were slightly pointed.

"F…Fee?" Kalas said, chocking out the word as if it caused him pain.

The boy seemed to hesitate, as if he had worked up the nerve to do something he did not want to do, and his courage was now in danger of leaving him. There was a horrible stillness, as if the whole world had ceased to turn, and time had somehow died. _This must be another nightmare,_ thought Kalas as his mind continued to reel and explosions went of inside his brain, _I'm still asleep and I'm having another nightmare. That's the only way this can be happening… But I'm not dreaming. I know I'm awake. Dreams don't feel this real._ Then the boy that looked so much like his younger brother turned and ran away from Kalas.

"W… wait! WAIT! DON'T GO!" shouted Kalas, sprinting after the boy, jumping down three steps at a time. He inevitably stumbled and almost tripped more times than he cared to count. But the boy he was pursuing seemed to be getting away. Kalas practically fell onto the last landing at the bottom of the steps from pure exhaustion. As he panted he looked around, looking for the boy he had seen. There were the twin statues of the white dragon elegantly carved from shining blue ice. There was the hallway leading outside the palace, and the empty staircase running up behind him, but no Fee. The boy had completely vanished.

_What's going on?_ Wondered Kalas as he tried to catch his breath, _That couldn't have been Fee. I_ know_ he's dead. But that couldn't have been anyone else. That kid looked just like Fee… _Kalas looked back up the Staircase, wondering vaguely if anyone had heard him shouting earlier. He wasn't sure how he would explain himself if someone asked him what he had been shouting about.

* * *

He he... my plot is underway... (Not that it wasn't underway since the prologue.) 

Oh, and if there are any mistakes in Fee's description (though I swear I got the pointy ear thing right) please say so in a review. It's been ages since I saw him in the game, and I only vaguely remember what he looks like. Much appreciated.

One last note: Details are going to be very, _very,_ _very, **very**_, _**VERY**_ important in this fic, particularly as I get deeper into the Big Bad Wolf thing. So because of that, and because I'm a horrible editor, I'll be taking extra time to edit my chapters before I post them. That way any anomalies/abnormalities that you may see in the story are _actually_ supposed to be there, and are not just an error on my part. And this is also to keep the story from mutating in ways I don't want it to. (Which is what happened to poor _Dreams of Rain_...)

Please review, though I predict there will be at least one "WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?" or something similar.


	3. Cross The Divide

It's been ages since I've updated, I know. Partly because my inspiration died, and now I'm desperately trying to revive it. It might also be because BKO stole my soul and is now munching on it quite happily.

BKO: (-munch-)

Spork: Anyway, the next chapter. The timing's kinda weird, and it's neither particuarly good or inspired, but I get to move on now...

Disclaimer: I don't own Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean. Meh.

* * *

Chapter II: Cross The Divide

The first thing Takei realized was that he could not see anything. The second thing Takei realized was that he was very alone. The third and fourth thing he realized was that there was tape over his mouth, and he was in what felt like a sack. He found that he could not move his hands or feet, and there was something rough digging into his wrists and ankles. He writhed, but he might as well try to move the world with a crowbar. This was when he realized, what that he was _freezing._ He felt like he had been put inside a freezer. He shivered and instinctively curled up inside the sack to try to warm himself up with his own body heat. After what felt like an eternity inside the frozen sack, Takei heard a rustling like someone untying a knot. Then at the end of the sack, right by Takei's head blinding light poured inside like a shining cascade. Takei blinked in the light, and tried to focus on what was just outside the circle of light outside the sack. It looked a bit like a face…

"Oh dear gods!" said a voice in petrified horror, "Are you all right?"

"I'm not all right!" Takei tried to shout, but with the tape over his mouth the only noise he made was "Mhmnphmnph!"

"Oh no!" said the voice, "Don't worry! I'm going to get you out of there!" The circle of light expanded, and a pair of arms reached inside the sack and grabbed Takei firmly by the shoulders. After five minutes of struggling, Takei was outside the sack. A woman in her mid forties had been the one who had pulled him out. She was wearing five layers of warm clothing and looked down at Takei with concern on her face. She gently took the tape off of his mouth and started to untie the ropes that bound his wrists.

"Where am I?" asked Takei, shivering in the extreme cold.

"Cursa," said the woman, moving on to the rope at his ankles, "In Wazn. I just found you in a sack buried in the snow. I need to get you into something warm before you catch your death!"

Takei would have replied had enough of his brain been focused on the task. He was staring out at the city he was now in. Unfortunately, he could not get past the 'this is physically impossible' part of his mind. Absolutely _everything_ from the roads to the buildings was made of sky blue ice. Snow lay in piles like sleeping arctic animals everywhere.

"Oh dear gods!" exclaimed Takei's rescuer as she looked inside the second sack, "There's someone in here too!" A couple minutes later the Cursan woman pulled Vivian out of the second sack. Vivian was still unconscious. "Can you help me please?" asked the woman, turning to Takei who was still absorbing the impossibilities around him.

"What?" he asked, rolling onto his side to look at the Cursan woman who was holding Vivian.

"Can you help me please?" she asked, "I can't lift her on my own. My house isn't very far from here, so you don't have to carry her far."

As if in a dream, Takei picked up Vivian by her feet, while the Cursan woman held her by her shoulders. Together they walked back to the Cursan woman's home. Takei only barely registered when his savior walked into a small bedroom, put Vivian down on a bed, made completely from ice, and piled seven blankets on the unconscious girl. Then the Cursan woman handed Takei another blanket, "Wrap yourself in this," she ordered sternly, "I'll see if I can find any coats that are your size."

Takei obeyed, wrapping the warm square of fabric around his shoulders. He sat on the ice bed when he was alone with Vivian. _I should be panicking,_ he thought dully and in a sort of haze as if he were drunk,_ But I'm not. Maybe this is what happens what you're so terrified your mind can't take it._ A minute later, the woman who had saved him returned with a dark red coat that could keep even water insulated at this temperature.

"Oh, how rude of me. I haven't told you my name yet!" she said, as she handed Takei the coat, "My name is Shina. What's your name?"

"Um…" started Takei as he put the coat on, "Well, she" he started pointing at the unconscious Vivian, "Her name is Vivian McLee. I'm Takei Mayers. It's… uh…. Good to meet you…" He trailed off when he noticed the look that Shina was giving him. He couldn't tell what it was trying to convey. Could it be awe?

"Mayers was it? Does that mean you're related to Allyr?" asked Shina, "Does she know you're here?"

"Well… what?" asked Takei thickly, "What are you talking about? How do you know my sister's name?"

"Oh! So you're her _brother_!" Shina exclaimed, "I didn't know she had any family! I should let her know you're here right away!"

"Wait!" said Takei as Shina turned to leave, "How do you know Allyr? Does this mean you know where she's been?"

"You make it sound like she's disappeared," said Shina, sounding puzzled, "And there isn't _anyone_ who hasn't heard of Allyr and her companions. They saved the world! Didn't you know?" And with that, Shina bustled off. Takei stared into space while his brain rapidly tried to apply common sense to what was happening around him.

_Okay, okay_, he though, _So what happened before I woke up here? Vivian and I were attacked by that dark lady back in the park! Yeah, that was it! Fenris led us there, I remember that. So_… _then I woke up here. So I must be in a coma or something! Yeah! And because this is _my_ coma Vivian isn't awake, and because Allyr's my sister she just happens to be here! In my coma… yeah… that's it…_ It sounded weak, even inside Takei's head. _Wait a minute… didn't Vivian say something about Allyr going off into some other world or something like that? To save Kalas or whatever his name was? So I could be in that other universe…? But that doesn't make sense! _How_ could I have _possibly_ ended up there?_

Vivian groaned, bringing Takei out of his deeply confusing thoughts. "My head hurts…" moaned Vivian as she sat up, her blonde hair falling around her face. She looked around the room blearily, slowly taking in everything. "Where are we?" she asked the room in general.

"Um… I think Shina said we were in Cursa or something." Said Takei. "Oh, um… by Shina I mean the person who saved us," he said sheepishly when Vivian raised an inquiring eyebrow, "I woke up in a sack. And then she came along and got us out and brought us here." Takei shrugged, "I don't really know what's going on." The two sat in a thoughtful silence, until they heard running footsteps outside the room. Then a figure appeared in the doorway and stared at Takei and Vivian as if they had just sprouted horns.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?" shouted the figure angrily, brandishing a sword at Takei.

Takei gaped at the figure, while simultaneously staring at the sword with fascinated horror. "Um… please don't skin me alive…" he said meekly.

The figure looked down at the sword, "Oh… sorry," it said sheepishly, "I forgot I was holding that." The figure gently laid the sword down on the floor before turning back to Takei.

"…Long time no see Allyr?" said Vivian, deciding that trying to predict what would happen next in this world was an utter waste of time and energy.

"It has been a while hasn't it?" said Allyr, grinning. But then her stare went cold, "You still haven't answered my question yet," she said firmly, "What are you two doing here?"

"We could ask you the same thing!" retorted Takei, "You've been _missing_ for five years! We thought you were _dead_! And look at you! You're waving a sword around, and you're wearing a tunic! You've gone native!"

"You haven't even been here long enough to know what _native_ is!" snapped Allyr, "How can you _possibly_ lecture _me_ on the subject?"

"But you just _disappeared_!" protested Takei, "What where we supposed to expect? We were all worried sick you could have been dead for all we knew! And look at you now! You seem to be having a grand old time here!"

"You make it sound like I never tried to go back!" barked Allyr, "I've _tried_ to go back more times than I can count! I didn't stay here by choice!" Allyr stopped mid rant as she could think of nothing else to throw at her brother.

"_This is not a time for bickering,"_ said Fenris, speaking for the first time since he, his partner, and Takei had arrived in this world, _"Fighting amongst ourselves will get us nowhere."_

Allyr stiffened immediately, like a rabbit spotting a nearby fox. "Who said that?" she asked the air.

"…Said what?" asked Takei, bemused.

"Oh… um…" started Vivian shyly, "That was Fenris… My Guardian…"

Allyr blinked, "You have a Guardian?" she said, absorbing this fact with a little difficulty. While Allyr believed Vivian, and trusted her, something about 'Vivian the spiriter' seemed... different. "Um… It's Fenris then, right? Um… good to meet you Fenris."

"_And I you,"_ said the Guardian politely, _"If you do not mind my asking, you were once a Guardian, correct?"_

Allyr nodded. "Yes," she confirmed, "I was a Spirit."

"_I have never heard of a Spirit returning to the flesh before,"_ lied Fenris, _"Can you introduce me to your Guardian?"_

"What Guardian?" said Allyr before memory caught up with her. "Oh!" she added quickly, "You mean Kalas right? Well… he's not a Guardian anymore. He's back to normal."

Takei contemplated this, "So… you brought him back from the dead?" he asked while desperately hoping the answer was 'no'. All he needed were more laws of physics to be torn to little despairing shreds.

"Yup," Allyr said, grinning, "He's doing just fine now."

Takei snorted, "You make it sound like he's just going through rehab or physical therapy and not _actually_ coming back from the dead."

"Things are… different here," said Allyr, struggling to find the right words, "Coming back from the dead is a little more common than you'd expect."

Takei groaned, "I want to go home," he said childishly, "At least there nothing falls up."

"Nothing falls up here either," said Allyr, "And you _can't_ go home, there's just no way to. Things aren't that bad here. Just… very... very different."

"If Allyr says there's no way back Takei, then there's no way back," said Vivian, looking down at her knees, "She's been trying to get back for five years. You'd think if there was a way back she would have found it by now."

Takei went very silent then. He hung his head and stared mutely at his feet. Allyr walked over to him and sat down next to her little brother. "Just because I haven't found a way back yet doesn't mean it doesn't exist," she said soothingly, "We'll find a way. But for right now you'll just have to trust me to look after you two. Okay?"

"Okay…" mumbled Takei without looking up.

"You don't like it here, do you?" asked Allyr.

"No… not really." Takei admitted glumly.

"That's okay," said Allyr, "We're going off to a different island tomorrow. You might like it a little more over there."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because it isn't all made of ice."

"Oh… that's nice."

"The buildings are all made of gold instead."

"WHAT?"

"Well," started Allyr hesitantly, realizing that she had said the wrong thing, "I'm not sure if they're _actually_ made of gold, or if they're just gold plated or made of a metal that looks like gold." She shrugged. _I'd better not mention the ice lamps to him if he's going to take it this way, poor guy,_ Allyr thought, _Otherwise I'll have him muttering about thermodynamics all day._

"Don't tell me the world's flat too…" Takei moaned.

"_We are getting nowhere, still,"_ interrupted Fenris, _"What we need Allyr, is a place to sleep for the night, and food to eat. Can you take us to your new home please?"_

"Um… sure," said Allyr, "Follow me. Oh, and you can take the clothes with you. Shina, I think that was her name right? Anyway, she said you could keep those clothes, otherwise you'd freeze to death."

"Comforting thought," muttered Takei, following his sister like a dog after his master.

* * *

"Wow! A palace! This is amazing!" said Vivian excitedly a few minutes later as Allyr led her brother and friend to Kaffaljidhma. They were standing at the bottom landing of the great Staircase, staring up the length of the stairway with their eyes wide with amazement.

Allyr grinned, never missing a chance to show off, "You like it?" she asked cheerily, "I've been living in this place for the past five years. But right now I should probably be responsible and find you two a guestroom to stay the night. We're leaving for Alfard tomorrow morning." Allyr began to lead the others up the staircase while she mentally reviewed which guestrooms were currently vacant. The three only made it to the second landing before the two newcomers had yet another revelation dropped onto them.

"Auntie! Auntie!"

All three turned to look for the source of the voice, but only Allyr knew to look down. Takei and Vivian watched as a blue blur connected with Allyr's leg and held on tight. "You're happy today aren't you?" said Allyr grinning.

"Wait a minute… 'auntie'?" said Takei dully, "How's that work?"

The blue blur that had run into Allyr's leg had turned out to be a little girl of about five. Her dark blue dress fell down to her ankles, right above her bare feet. Her sapphire hair fell two inches past her small shoulders, and she looked up at Takei and Vivian with curious yellow eyes.

"Who are they auntie?" asked the little girl, sounding more curious than afraid.

"She," started Allyr, pointing at Vivian, "Is an old friend of mine. And this," said Allyr, poking Takei's shoulder, just a little harder than was absolutely necessary, "Is my little brother. Vivian and Takei, meet Tala here. Tala, meet Vivian and Takei."

The little girl, Tala, let go of Allyr's leg and waved energetically, "Hello!" she said happily with the enthusiasm appropriate for a five year old, "I didn't know auntie had a brother!" Tala cocked her head to one side, her face screwed up in thought, "If you're auntie's brother does that make you my uncle?" Before Takei got so much as an 'um' out Tala hugged Takei tightly and shouted, "Hello uncle Takei!"

Takei gave Allyr pleading look, clearly asking for help. "Okay Tala, you have to let go of him now," said Allyr in her best authoritative voice, but gently. "They need to get settled in first before anything else. This is all very new for them. Is that okay? We can play together later."

"Awww…" moaned Tala, sounding disappointed as she let him go. Then she waved at them enthusiastically. "Bye!" she chirped before running off.

"_What an energetic child,"_ said Fenris, amused, _"She took the brush off really well for a five year old."_ He commented sounding curious.

"Her Mom's the queen, so she's got to deal with all the official business that goes with the job Fenris," said Allyr, adding the Guardian's name so Takei would know who she was talking to, "Tala's really good about going off when the adults are doing something else, but I think it's hard for her."

"Wait a minute… that girl was a _princess_?" said Takei bewildered, "Dang, you've fallen into some interesting company."

"Wait until you get to know the 'princess' better," said Allyr suppressing a grin, "She plays little pranks on everybody all the time. Sometimes it's just her, and sometimes she collaborates with some of the other kids in the palace for particularly elaborate jokes."

"Then this queen must be an interesting person then…" commented Takei.

Allyr sighed, "No, _that _she gets that from her father," she said, "I'd bet my arm on that."

"Isn't the queen, Xelha I think you said her name was… isn't she married to Kalas? Your old Guardian?" started Takei, as two and two started to come together, "So, if that little girl's the princess then that means…"

"Yup," said Allyr, "And the conclusion you're about to jump to is correct."

* * *

...Not a good ending, I know. Please don't rub it in. Right now I just want to move on.

The next chapter _will_ be more interesting than this. I can guarantee that. And it will come faster.

So, please review.


	4. Encounters And Travels

(-Sobbing quietly into a Gamecube controller-) That's it! (-sniffle-) If another Baten Kaitos game _ever_, by some **_miracle_**, sees the light of day, I'm not going to play it unless there's a TISSUE BOX WITHIN ARMS REACH!

Man, I have no life.

Anyway, sorry about the delay in posting this chapter. I had a major case of writer's block. But the chapter is up now, and for the most part the writer's block is gone. Hopefully this chapter will be a little more interesting than the last one. (And hopefully I've gotten all of the grammer errors/typos this time.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Baten Kaitos. But Baten Kaitos owns me.

* * *

Chapter III: Encounters And Travels 

It was dawn, and the soft morning sun had just risen over the thin horizon. Xelha woke up to find that she was the only one still in bed. She rolled onto her side to look in the direction of the balcony and sure enough Kalas was standing over there staring out at the Ocean. This had happened many times over the past two weeks, and Xelha was beginning to worry about Kalas. He hadn't been getting a lot of sleep recently, and Xelha suspected that, whatever it was that was troubling him, was getting worse.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked. Kalas looked over at her for a minute before looking back out at the city.

"No," he admitted finally without looking at Xelha.

"More nightmares?"

"…Yeah,"

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"No."

Xelha got out of bed and walked up to him. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, hoping the contact might make him feel better. "I just want to help you," she said sadly, "I don't like seeing you suffer this much."

"It's not that bad," said Kalas reassuringly, turning to face Xelha, a gentle smile on his face, "It's just a little insomnia. It'll go away soon. Don't worry about it, okay?"

Xelha looked down at her feet, then back up at Kalas, realizing that she wasn't going to win the battle today. "Okay, I won't worry about it," she lied, "Just get better soon."

"It's not like I'm sick!" said Kalas jokingly, "I'll be just fine! You'll see! It'll be as if none of this ever happened."

Kalas, being an exceptionally good liar, actually sounded like he didn't think this was a big deal. He was having constant nightmares, and then there was the appearance of his little brother the previous night. Had it been a ghost? No, Fee looked solid enough, besides, if Fee's Magnus was inside Kalas how could Fee exist outside Kalas? He couldn't think of a good explanation that stood under all the arguments he could throw against it. Maybe he was just seeing things and didn't want to admit it to himself. As if the nightmares weren't bad enough.

Truth was he was really beginning to worry about the nightmares. They felt too real to Kalas. They had the quality of vivid memories rather than dreams. Kalas decided that he felt that way just because it was a dream, damn it, and he should just leave it alone. Admittedly this method would only work if the dreams left _him_ alone.

* * *

"Hey, time to wake up sleepy!" called Allyr, poking the sleeping form of her brother in the side. He grunted and rolled onto his back, covering his head with the bedsheets. Takei had been so tired the previous night he had just fallen asleep still fully clothed. But Allyr wasn't going to let something like her brother's sleeping habits stop her. 

"Five more minutes Mom…" Takei moaned.

Allyr frowned, "I'm not Mom, and the animal lady's clucker has already crowed. That means it's time to GET UP!"

"Meh…?" Takei opened his eyes to see his big sister leaning forward to stare down at him.

"Wake up already!" said Allyr, a little annoyed, "We're leaving for Alfard in ten minutes!"

"Oh…" Takei sat up, "I'd been hoping it had all been a dream…"

Allyr sighed, "Everything will turn out okay," she said reassuringly, "So chin up, please?"

Takei nodded, but didn't look up at his sister, "Okay," he mumbled.

"Vivi's already awake," said Allyr calmly, "Come on, I've still got to introduce you to the rest of the crew. And don't give me that look, you'll like them, and I'm sure they'll like you. So don't worry!"

"All right," Takei got out of bed and stood up, "So, how are we going to get to this Alfard place?" he asked.

"You won't believe this, but we're going by dragon."

"Huh?"

Allyr winked, "C'mon," she said cheerfully, "We've got the rest of the day ahead of us! And seeing as you're already dressed and there's no point in packing anything you have on you, let's go!"

Feeling slightly dazed, Takei obediently followed Allyr out of the room, and onto the Great Staircase, which lead up and down the whole palace like a backbone. Already standing on the Staircase and deep in conversation were Kalas and Vivian, with Tala standing at their feet looking a little bored. Then the little girl noticed Takei and Vivian. Her response was to run over to Takei, hug him tightly and chirp, "Hello uncle Takei!"

This caught the attention of the two adults, "You're finally up!" said Vivian, exasperatedly, "I thought a hurricane wouldn't be able to wake you!"

"Well, I'm awake," said Takei, "And um… Tala, can you let go of me?" he added, looking down at the little girl, who was still hugging him tightly, "And while I'm here, who are you?" Takei asked, pointing at Kalas.

"I'm Kalas, remember me? Allyr's Guardian?" he said, "And Tala," he added in a gentle tone of voice, "You _do_ have to let go of him now."

"Okay Daddy," said Tala, letting Takei go.

"Wait, _you're_ Kalas?" said Takei, a confused look on his face, "I always imagined you as kind of… short."

Kalas raised an eyebrow, "Short?"

"I… I didn't mean like you were a midget! Just somehow I didn't picture you as being as tall as you are."

"You do realize I'm average, right?"

"Do you guys _have_ to argue about height?" asked Vivian, "I thought we had to head off to this Alfard place soon."

"She's got a point. You two can argue later." Said Allyr, poking Takei in the back.

"Um… Allyr?"

Allyr turned at the voice and saw Rowan standing just a few feet away, a look on his face suggesting that he was no longer sure he should be there. "You guys go," said Allyr to the others, "I'll be right with you."

Recognizing this as a dismissal, Takei and the others left Rowan and Allyr alone on the staircase. She turned to Rowan, "Everything all right?"

"Um… yeah," he muttered, sounding a little embarrassed. He had wanted to say something to her and now that he was hear his courage deserted him like a frightened dog.

Then Allyr thought of something. "Hey, Rowan, you know Kalas, Xelha, and I are going to Alfard, right?" asked Allyr. Rowan nodded. "Well, my little brother and an old friend just recently popped up. And um…" Allyr paused, trying to think of a good way to word their problem, "They're not native, in any way, shape or form, so I'll need some help. Just, keeping an eye on them and stuff. So, can you come with us?"

"Sure!" said Rowan without hesitation.

"Thanks, you're a big help," said Allyr, though she had not thought that he would say no. Truth was, Rowan was like a big puppy: he wasn't the smartest person in the whole world, but somehow disliking him would be cruel. He really tried to do his best in the Knights, but Allyr could tell that the life just wasn't for him. Hell, _she_ had adapted better and that wasn't saying much. As she looked at him now, with the armor and uniform that was at least two sizes too big for him, he looked rather small. Maybe that was why she liked the poor guy so much.

Neither said anything for a little while. "Um… maybe we should head out now," mumbled Rowan, feeling a little self-conscious and embarrassed. Had he accepted Allyr's request too fast?

"You're right, we shouldn't hold everyone else up," said Allyr, apparently oblivious to Rowan's embarrassment, "Let's go."

* * *

As it turns out, the White Dragon had to be saddled before the group could leave for Alfard. Xelha was already at work, tugging and adjusting the various straps on the saddle. All the others could do for the moment was hurry up and wait. 

"You sure you don't need any help?" asked Kalas.

"I'm sure," said Xelha, tugging on a miscellaneous strap, "I'm the only one who knows how to saddle her. It'll just take a minute."

Kalas shrugged, admitting defeat. He wandered a little farther down the pier, feeling rather bored. He disliked just standing around while other people did things, but Xelha _had_ insisted that he wait while she got the White Dragon ready. Kalas couldn't stand waiting.

"Psssst!"

Kalas didn't turn around.

"Psssst! Hey, Raven! Can you hear me?"

Kalas turned around to find the source of the calling voice: an old man waving to him from the entrance to an ally. Kalas looked back at Xelha and the others at the White Dragon. They didn't need him right now, and getting the Dragon saddled up would take a minute. His curiosity getting the better of him, Kalas walked up to the old man, who suddenly looked a little nervous.

"You're the Dust Eater, right?" asked Kalas, "I remember you."

The Dust Eater gave a wheezy laugh, "I didn't think you would!" he admitted, though he sounded relieved, "You certainly look better than when I last saw you!"

Kalas snorted, "I was a disembodied spirit floating around in Nekton. It couldn't _get_ any worse than that."

"But I _did_ tell your wife where you were Raven!" said the Dust Eater cheerily, "It wasn't all bad."

"**_Don't_** call me Raven," growled Kalas. That was how he remembered the Dust Eater. He would never call Kalas anything other than 'Raven'. It became _really_ annoying _really_ fast.

"I'm digressing here," said the Dust Eater, suddenly becoming as serious as death, "There's something I _need_ to tell you!"

There followed a minute of absolute silence. "Well…?" prompted Kalas impatiently when the message didn't come.

"I'm… trying to find the best way to put it…" muttered the Dust Eater, fidgeting nervously with his walking stick.

Kalas rolled his eyes, "Xelha and the others are going to start wondering where I am if I don't go back eventually," he hissed, "So can you hurry it up, _Dusty_?"

"Don't go to Alfard!" blurted the Dust Eater, "Because if you do, bad things will happen!"

"…Like…?" prompted Kalas.

The Dust Eater frowned, "What do you mean, 'like'?" he asked, sounding just a little irritated.

"What 'bad things' are supposed to happen if I go to Alfard?" asked Kalas, his skepticism clear, "You don't _really_ think I'll just stay here just because you say that '_bad things_' are going to happen?"

The Dust Eater scowled, but there was a fearful desperation in his eyes that betrayed his worry, "Listen, Dog Bird, I can't explain everything to you now-"

Kalas wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but neither was he the dullest. For example, he was capable of recognizing situations such as this. "What did you just call me?" interrupted Kalas.

The Dust Eater stopped ranting immediately. "What?"

"I said what did you just call me?"

"What did I just call you?"

"YES! That's my question, damn it!"

"Um… what _did_ I just call you?"

"You called me 'Dog Bird'!" snapped Kalas, his temper getting the better of him, "What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?"

The Dust Eater blinked at Kalas, taken aback by this demand. He considered snapping 'if you knew what I had said then why ask?' at the young man, but then realized exactly _what_ it was he let slip. Then the Dust Eater's face gained a thoughtful expression and he leaned heavily on his walking stick, as if all the weight of his years suddenly began to press down on him, "Did I now…?" he said, more to the cold air than to Kalas. The Dust Eater scratched his hairy chin absentmindedly, "Oh dear…" he muttered, "I seem to be getting my whens mixed up now…"

"…What?" said Kalas, confused by this statement, "What the hell does that mean, 'getting your whens mixed up'?"

"Goodbye!"

Kalas blinked, the Dust Eater's sudden departure taking him by surprise. He looked around, only to see that the old man was nowhere in sight._ He moves fast for an old guy,_ thought Kalas, feeling slightly bewildered.

"Hey Kalas! You coming?" yelled Allyr from the White Dragon's back, "We're ready to leave! You're holding us up!"

"Yeah, I'm coming! Keep your shirt on." He replied, walking back over to the Dragon.

From his hiding place behind an ice barrel, the Dust Eater watched Kalas get onto the Dragon's back. The Dragon beat her wings, and then with a great leap she became airborne and turned to fly in the direction of Alfard. The Dust Eater sighed and came out from behind the barrel. He walked up to the ice pier and watched the Dragon fly farther and farther away. He leaned on his walking stick and shook his head as if in disappointment.

"There used to be a time when kids listened to their elders," he muttered, keeping his blue eyes trained on the Dragon, "Still, can't let the poor fools get into too much trouble, now can I?"

And with that, he leaped nimbly into the freezing Ocean waters below the pier.

* * *

The flight to Alfard was short and mostly uneventful. Xelha sat nearest to the Dragons head, so she could give clear instructions to the Dragon as to where their destination was. Kalas sat behind her, with little Tala behind him, her small arms wrapped around his waist. Tala had only left Wazn a few times before in her short life, so she gazed at the world far below the Dragon with wide amazed eyes, taking in everything. Takei and Vivian were doing similar, as they sat between Allyr and Rowan, who were trying to explain this world's geography. Luckily, Takei and Vivian absorbed the facts easily, as labeling certain areas as 'Sadal Suud', or 'Anuenue' and so forth was easier to understand than a land made of ice. 

"Do you see the gold glow over there?" asked Allyr, pointing in the direction of Alfard, "That's Mintaka, the capital of Alfard. That's where we're going to land."

Takei leaned to his left to get a better view of the distant city, "It doesn't look that bad," he thought aloud.

"Then I think you'll like it," said Allyr, hoping that Takei was beginning to cope with this world.

Takei opened his mouth to say something when the White Dragon suddenly banked to the left, catching him unawares. As soon as the Dragon's course straightened again, he whimpered.

"It's not all that bad Takei," said Vivian, reaching over to pat him on the back, "Once you get your feet back on the ground, you'll be just fine!"

"She's right you know!" said Rowan, raising his voice a little so Takei could hear him, "I'm sure that as soon as you get into Mintaka you'll cheer right up!"

Fenris looked down at the land far below and did not comment. He had been away so long, and he had been a Spirit so long he had a hard time occasionally remembering what life was like before then. _So the Sky, the Earth, and the Ocean have finally rejoined after so many years,_ he thought, _I wonder if they still remember me, or if I've just become far too distant a memory for anyone to remember_… Fenris looked down at Vivian, then back down at the land far below, _Maybe it would be best if I have been forgotten. Yes, it _would_ be best if no one here remembered my name or my sins_.

"Hey, Takei," said Allyr, turning around to face her brother, "You might want to hang on to something tight for this next part."

"Why?" asked Takei, though he obeyed Allyr, firmly gripping the leather saddle underneath him.

"Because we're about to land, which means the White Dragon is going to go into a shallow dive," explained Allyr, "Leaning forward a little helps too."

Takei's grasp went from just 'firm' to 'death grip' as the White Dragon slowly went into the aforementioned shallow dive. The descent was gradual, but in no time at all the Dragon was gently coming to a stop a few feet over the port. As soon as the Dragon found a part of the old airship port that wasn't flooded with Ocean water, and was large enough to accomodate her bulk, she landed. As soon as the Dragon's talons touched the ground, Takei's death grip on the saddle relaxed a little. "Never… ever… again," he groaned, his hands shaking.

"What are you whining about?" asked Kalas, easily sliding off the Dragon's back and turning around to help Tala off, "That wasn't even fast."

"I never liked flying, not even back home," Takei moaned.

"Oh, stop complaining," said Allyr, sliding off the Dragon's back with practiced ease, "Give me your hand and I'll help you off."

"Who's that?" asked Vivian, pointing to someone walking up to the small band. He was wearing a black and white military uniform, but with additional adornments, including a gold circlet in his long crimson hair, to signify his great rank. He seemed to be happy about the group's arrival.

"That's Lyude, Emperor of Alfard," explained Allyr to Takei and Vivian as she and Rowan helped them to get off of the Dragon's back, "And don't look so nervous! He's a nice guy."

"He looks so young," commented Vivian, "Is he _really_ the Emperor?"

"Yes," said Allyr, "C'mon, let's go."

She, Vivian, Takei, and Rowan caught up with Kalas, Xelha, and Lyude who were already greeting each other.

"It's good to see you again Lyude," said Xelha, smiling at the young emperor.

Lyude returned the smile, "Thank you, it is good to see you all again too," he said politely, "And it is good to see you all in good health."

"Hi uncle Lyude!" said Tala, with her usual enthusiasm.

"It's good to see you too," he said, ruffling her blue hair playfully, "You've gotten taller since I last saw you!" Tala giggled, looking pleased with the comment.

"So who's the lucky lady?" asked Kalas, grinning.

"She's an noble from a wealthy Imperial family," said Lyude, "Do you want to meet her?"

"Is someone talking about me?"

Lyude turned to see a black-haired woman in her mid-twenties walking up to him. Her long black dress reached down to her feet, and hugged her body. She smiled warmly at Lyude, exposing perfect white teeth, "Are these the friends you have told me so much about, darling?" she asked, speaking with an unusual accent that none present could identify.

Lyude relaxed visibly, as if this woman's arrival took all his stress away. "Yes, these are my friends." He said, smiling at the newcomer, "Kalas, Xelha, and Allyr, meet Lupa." He said, as he put his hand on the newcomer's shoulder, "Lupa, meet Kalas, Xelha and Allyr."

"Hi," said Kalas, not entirely sure if he liked Lupa yet.

"It's good to meet you," said Xelha graciously.

Lupa nodded at the two in acknowledgement. Allyr didn't say anything to Lupa, because she was busy trying to calm her brother down. "Takei, what's the matter?" she asked, her voice firm, but she kept it down so the others could not hear her. Takei was shaking slightly, his eyes fixed on Lupa with a sort of fascinated horror.

"It's the dark lady!" he said, "She's the one that dragged Vivian and me out of our world!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Allyr.

"Is something wrong?" asked Lyude, looking over at Allyr and her brother with concern on his face.

Takei opened his mouth to say 'yes' when Allyr not-so-subtly stepped on his foot, "Nothing's wrong Lyude, but thanks for asking," said Allyr, with a forced grin on her face.

* * *

It feels good to be evil. 

I promise that the next chapter will be more interesting, since now I have all my pawns - I mean characters - where I want them to be. Which means I'll update sooner. (But since it's been months, anytime is pretty much sooner.)

Please review.


	5. Big Bad Wolf

I am so sorry that I haven't updated in months! I had the world's worst writer's block... then a friend introduced me to Tales of Symphonia... then the OVA came out...

Sorry.

But a special thanks to **LoneHowl** for trying to help me. I wasn't very good at cooperating, but she got me to write an outline, so I should be okay for the remaining chapters of this fic. (There won't be a lot - this story will be short.)

Disclaimer: Baten Kaitos, its characters, plot line, and locations all belong solely to Namco-Bandai.

* * *

Chapter IV: Big Bad Wolf 

"But it's her! I swear!" protested Takei, "That lady, Lupa, she's the one that dragged us into this world!"

"That's _slander_ dammit!" snarled Allyr, to her brother, "Slander that frankly no one would really believe!"

It was the night after they had arrived in Mintaka. Lyude had led the group to a building by the Imperial Residence that was specifically for guests of the emperor. Allyr had dragged Takei and Vivian to the sleeping quarters she had been given to yell at her brother.

"But you believe me, don't you?" pleased Takei.

Allyr hesitated. "Well…"

"You _don't_ believe me!" accused Takei, "Who can I trust to help me if my own _sister_ won't even _believe_ me!"

"Now you're acting like you're six again!" snarled Allyr, "Grow up! I'm not dismissing your story! I just can't do anything about it! I mean really, what do you _expect_ me to do?"

"Just calm down, both of you!" shouted Vivian, "Just stop squabbling for a minute and try to look at the situation calmly!"

Brother and sister glared at one another, but stopped arguing. "Okay," said Vivian in a slow and calm tone, "Now that we've stopped trying to maim each other, Allyr, do you believe Takei?"

Allyr hesitated, "Yes, I do believe him," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully, "But it's not important whether I believe him or not. I don't have the power to do anything if Lupa really _did_ drag you guys here. And besides," she added, "What possible motivation can you think of? There's no reason for her to bring you here."

"Well, we _are_ here, so clearly there's got to be something vaguely resembling a _reason_!"

"I said stop it!" repeated Vivian, "Can't you two stop being siblings for just five minutes?"

The pair grumbled and muttered something along the lines of "Well he/she started it," and then retort, "No it was you, _obviously_."

Vivian felt grateful that she was an only child. "Just grow up will you?" she said, pretty sure that her words would go unheeded, which they did. Allyr and Takei continued to argue about Lupa's motives the rest of the night, until they stormed off to their different guest quarters to spend another hour fuming before going to sleep.

They should have paid more attention.

* * *

_There were iron bars, though it was unclear to Kalas who it was that was stuck inside the cage, and who it really was that was caged. From the other side of the bars, a monster watched him intently. The monster was large, ten feet tall at the shoulder, at it looked like the iron bars would be no real barrier to it._

_**I have found you, little one.**_

_Kalas tried to shut out the voice he had just heard. It came form inside his head, but it had been an alien voice. He looked back at the monster, which seemed to grin at him, exposing long white teeth._

_**Did you really think you could just run away?** Said the voice of the monster inside Kalas's head._

"_Who are you?" Kalas asked, feeling slightly stupid to be asking this, despite the circumstances._

_**I am the Big Bad Wolf,** said the monster, **I am one of the Dark Brethren, the ones who bestowed our power to the god Malpercio. And here I wait.** The monster's grin widened, **You are frightened of me – I am not surprised. You were naïve to think that you could forever sever yourself from Malpercio's – our – power. You shut your eyes and turn away, but the darkness that made you remains in your heart. **_

_The monster pressed its muzzle against the bars separating it from Kalas, as if trying to get through. **Come back to us, little one, **said the monster, almost pleadingly, **We miss you. Come back… come home.**_

_Kalas decided then that he wanted to get as far away from the monster as he possibly could. He turned and ran from the monster. He heard a laugh inside his head. __**Go ahead and run, little one.**__ Said the voice of the monster, __**I will chase you across space and time if need be.**_

_The Big Bad Wolf howled, and Kalas could hear the sound as loudly as if the monster were right next to him. But also he could here the howl inside his head, commanding him. He fell to all fours with the force of the cry, and could not bring himself to his feet again. He heard the soft padding of big paws behind him, and he knew the monster had gotten across the bars and was walking toward him._

_**I'm here, little one.**_

Kalas woke up in a cold sweat, light-headed, and almost certain that he would feel the monster's hot breath on his neck. When all he felt was a cold draft, he relaxed a little. Maybe he should invest in some medication for insomnia when he got back home. The nightmares were becoming a problem.

He got out of bed, careful not to disturb Xelha, and walked over to a small window that looked out at the distant gold city of Mintaka. Somehow that sight calmed him down a little. He almost fell asleep standing up again, when he heard a tap on the window. He stared out the window, and watched a rock hit the glass then fall out of sight. Kalas looked down at the ground to see an old man in raggedy gray clothes throwing rocks at the window to catch his attention. It was the Dust Eater, and he wanted to talk to Kalas. Damn.

_Might as well go and see what the hell it is he wants,_ thought Kalas grumpily as he pulled a shirt on and walked out of the room he shared with Xelha. As soon as he came out into the night the Dust Eater came up to him looking rather worried.

"You do know what time it is?" growled Kalas.

"I know I disturbed you, but this is important," insisted the Dust Eater, "And it's best if we talk about it when everyone else is asleep."

"Then what is it that you want this time?" demanded Kalas impatiently, "I'd like to get back to sleep soon."

The Dust Eater looked uncomfortable, "There's something that you should know," the old man started slowly, as if handpicking the words in his head before saying them, "I suppose you haven't heard some of the latest stories from Mira, living on Wazn and all that."

"I heard Duke Calbren is sick," said Kalas, trying to understand where this conversation was going, "Why? Is he okay?"

"So you haven't heard," said the Dust Eater, "No, it's not about the Duke, poor soul. It's about the Reverence Clairvoyant."

"Well, what about him?" asked Kalas impatiently.

"You haven't heard about his latest prophecy, have you?"

Kalas was silent for a while. The Dust Eater felt that the silence wasn't from Kalas's ignorance on the topic, but rather, the silence of one who is carefully deciding exactly what to reveal. "I've heard enough. It doesn't matter," he said finally, his tone saying that he did not want to pursue the subject.

"I thought you had figured it out," said the Dust Eater, pressing on, "I came here to tell you that I can help you prevent it from ever happening."

"Prevent _what_?" snapped Kalas, "Sure I know what they say is going to happen, but I don't _believe _those crackpots."

"Then you're making a mistake," warned the old man, "You shouldn't dismiss the words of a prophet so lightly."

"Why? Because he's a _prophet_?" said Kalas sharply, "People have been saying he's crazy for _years_. Sure, he got Malpercio's resurrection right, but what makes you think that wasn't just a lucky guess?"

"Ignoring a problem won't make it go away!"

"There _is_ no problem to ignore! And why are you so interested in this anyway? Don't tell me you're doing this out of the goodness of your heart."

There was a pause that frizzled with hostility, mostly from Kalas. "Listen _boy_, stubbornness has its place," said the Dust Eater, "But this is not the time. Understand that I'm not accusing you of anything; this is hardly a situation where it's worth blaming anyone. But the Clairvoyant's prophecy is not absolute; it can be stopped, prevented. If you think it's false, then why not take precautions anyway, just in case you're wrong?"

_Because that would be admitting that I'm capable of doing what the Clairvoyant thinks I'm destined to do._ Thought a small treacherous part of Kalas's mind. "I want no part of this," he said flatly, before turning around to walk away.

"Why don't you stop and really think about this for a minute!" pleaded the Dust Eater.

Kalas turned around to glare back at the Dust Eater, "I've just about had it with you!" he snarled, "Acting like you know everything. You're not a god! You're just a crusty old man who likes to stalk people. So why should I – "

"_There is much anger and confusion in your heart, and I can understand that. But don't let those feelings strangle your heart and turn you into the very thing you despise."_

Kalas blinked, feeling suddenly lightheaded. He closed his eyes and tried to regain his bearings. What had just happened? The thought had just jumped into his head – like an old memory. He couldn't even remember what it was now, or why he had thought of it.

The Dust Eater's eyes narrowed, and peered around the dazed Kalas just in time to see a little black-haired boy darting away from them. The Dust Eater silently considered this while turning his attention back to Kalas.

"Just… forget it old man," Kalas said once he felt a little less light-headed, "I don't want any part of your plan, the Clairvoyant's prophecy, or _anything_. I've got other plans." Then he turned and walked away from the old man, not looking back or sparing another word.

The Dust Eater frowned at the young man's retreating back, but he didn't feel resentment or frustration. On the contrary, he could understand Kalas's position entirely. What a pity the young man couldn't see his.

_You have more reason that anyone to be afraid of the darkness,_ thought the Dust Eater, _More reason to be afraid of falling again, I guess that's why the Clairvoyant's prediction bothers you so much._ The Dust Eater scanned the area around him, before shouting "I know you're out there, and I know what you're planning to do to that poor boy! Now I'm telling you to stop what you're planning and go back to whatever pit you crawled out of!"

The old man heard a childlike giggle from behind. "That's cute, coming from you," said a voice. The Dust Eater turned to see a little pale boy with hair like onyx, "Even gods cannot stop the advance of fate."

The Dust Eater glowered at the boy, "At least tell me why you took a little boy," said the Dust Eater, disgust in his voice, "Of all the low things I would have expected from you and your kind, this wasn't one of them."

The little boy grinned unnaturally, "Why should I be blamed? His parents thoughts that if they went to a cursed place and prayed enough their darling little boy would come back. The End Magnus had amazing powers after all. A pity that you cannot understand how wonderful they are."

Swallowing his revulsion, the Dust Eater said, "At first I wasn't sure it was one of you, but now you've just confirmed it for me. I know what you're going to do and it is unacceptable. I'll tell you this again: stop now or there'll be a retribution like you've never seen."

"Oh, is that a threat?" said the boy, sounding less and less his age as he spoke, "Let's face it, I'm not a little boy and you're not an old man. You think yourself above us, but you still lack the power to enforce that tough ultimatum of yours. The Magnus of Life will be _ours_. We will crush his soul and devour his heart. He will be lost forever to the darkness. He will turn into the monster that shall herald the end of the world, and be an instrument in our divine vengeance. And there is nothing you can do about it."

"Are you ready to gamble everything on that assumption?" asked the old man, lifting an eyebrow.

"Such arrogance!" cackled the child, "Well, I'm not going to entertain you anymore. Good luck with trying to stop the inevitable!" Then the child skipped off without a backward glance.

* * *

Kalas walked back to the building cranky and tired. The Dust Eater was _clearly_ overrating to the whole situation. As if Kalas would, when he had everything he could possibly want, would turn his back on everything and give himself up to the dark again. All those years ago, he had torn off his own wing to be with Xelha and the others again. He gave up his power, and he did so willingly. But it had been so hard… 

Kalas stopped walking and shut his eyes. _I can't think like that! I can't let them be right! I don't want to fall again! I don't want to be stuck in the dark again…_

He should have been paying attention.

It was only then that he realized that someone was now standing behind him. They didn't say anything, and moved quick as thought. Consciousness is a fragile thing, and easily taken away by those skilled in such things. Five minutes later Kalas as his captor were gone, leaving behind no sign of a struggle.

* * *

_Somewhere, the Big Bad Wolf sat in its iron cage. It made no noise and did not move. It didn't have to. All it had to do now was wait.  
_

* * *

**A/N**: Ugh... after so many revisions (seven for the nightmare scene alone...) and many other pains, I've finally finished this chapter! Yay! 

Now just the rest of the story to go...

As for now... I don't like this chapter, at all. It's giving me STOMACH ULCERS! AHHHHH!

If you don't want me to die from internal bleeding, please press Mr. Review button. I don't even care if you say something bad about this chapter. This whole story frankly deserves a lot of criticism. (Though saying nice things makes me happy. Very happy.) Oh, and if you not only want me to not die, but also want to make me happy, go and read and review my oneshots: _Dig Me Up_ for Baten Kaitos Origins, and _Farewell_ if you've managed to beat Tales of Symphonia. Seriously. Please?

I'm gonna go lie down now.


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